The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-02
CIVIL SERVICE QUESTION
How It Was Treated in the House as Pre-
scented Through the Griffiths Bill.
Democratic Opposition to Any Change in
Managing the Benevolent Institutions
The Party Will Stand by Its Record.

The Party Will Stand by Its Record.
The Democrats of the House have appreciated
their inability to avoid discussion on the civil
service measure introduced by Representative
Griaiths at the beginning of the session. 1t
would have met their preference to crush the
bill in its incipiency, as the Democrats of indi-
ana are not known as civilservice reforners IN
any sense those words imply. But As this
could not be done they arranged the strongest
opposition under the circumstances. Repre-
sentatves Jewett and Gordon were expected.
from their respective positions as leaders OF the
party. to supply the diplomatic ambiguity as to
Democratic ideas and purposes relative TO the
civil service, but upon Representative Foster.
young man just beginning political career, fell
the heroic task of sustaining the genuine spirit
Of Democracy in its struggle for the loaves and
fishes. The development of the opposition ex-
hibited the two gentlemen first named as hedg
Ing on possibilities, while Mr.. Foster was sub
jecting his youthful aspirations to an early cur
tailment Messrs. Jewett and Gordon, no
doubt. convinced him. through his exuberant
admiration for the Democratic party, that ne
could better afford to lose on political futures
for the spoils while his alleged supportersvirtu
ally apoogized for the position their party was
forced to take 10 keeping with the time-honored
custom of never esrousing cause or reform
until somebody else had accomplished it. Their
opposition TO the bin was scattering, while his
came from the fulness OF conviction that,
without the hope OF Office, it would not be worth
Democrats time to be Democrat They fired
at long range, nc got directly into the center OF
the struggle, and if a reckoning is ever to be
made, it is Mr.. Foster who will get tho flashing,
not Messrs Jewett and Gordon, whose speeches
can be summed up in GAS theorists we favor
civil-service reform: as practical politicians we
are against anything that limits the resources
II rewards for party service"
The question was presented in substituting
she minority for the majority report 1t wanted
The bill postponed indefinitely, and was signed
by all Of the Democrats the judiciary COM
mittee-Messrs. Gordon, Roberts, Ibach, Niblack
: and Shambaugh. The opening speech of Repre-
sentative Grifiths earnest attention. He
did not clothe his opinions in disguise, to be
thrown off to suit the necessities of campaign,
but exhibited sincerity that has been wofully
wanting in the tenor of many speeches made on
posed to his arguments complimented him as no
other speaker has been, and Democrats, as we'll
as Republicans, were net chary of applause
when he concluded with rhetorical elegance
that was attractive in it's forceful simplicity.
Whatever may be said against cviservice
form it Was hardly possible, with Mr.. Griffiths's
clean-cus propositions facing them, for the Dem
ocrzts TO do it satisfactorily. His first position
that there was no good reason why the system
should not be adopted I'm this State as the spoils
system lowered the efficiency of the public serv-
ice, fostered ucomf etent men, and bred cor
ruption, caused the Democrats to look for ter
rible arraignment of their political practices for
gears past. They were not in error. the clear
light he incidentally threw upon their record
caused many long drawn countenance to be
turned to the speaker. On the other side the
Republicans enjoyed it. and manifested their
= appreciat,on Sy frequent laughter and applause.
1t WAS uncomfortable listening for the Demo-
Gratis when Mr.. iriffiths produced their national
platforms from 1872 to 1884, III everyone OF
which declaration was made for civil,
service reform. He did not regard
the question one of partisan interest," for had not
the Democrats, like others opposed to them re-
peatedly asked for civil service system2 Had
they not made promises to secure It'll But Demo
cratic promises were like snowfakes on the
RIVER moment seen, then lost forever. .
The partisans thus POLITICALLY referred to had
hardly recovered from the sally before they had
another to incrsase their discontinue. Mr..
Grifiths thought that under an honest civil SER
ice in the State it would never happen that a
man who had been in the peuitentiary three
times wonld be Endorsed by the leaders of his
party as honest and capable, as had been done
when the man secured responsible position IN
the mail service st would never happen" he
continued, that man who confessed he had
bribed coancilmen and who afterwards refused
to answer before the grand jury, would receive
an important Office" He dwet with particular
force upon the fact that the Democratic Pres
dent was an avowed civil-service reformer, and
that his course was approved by many of his
party. Civil service, too, prevailed in Demo
cratic cities like New FORK and Brooklyn. Ever
the Democratic Legislature of South Carolina
by resolution. demanded that civil SERVES
the Democrats Of Indiana" he remarked
are ready to linger behind South Carolina Les
islature." He defended the questions that art
propounded at competitive examinations OF ap
plicants, and asked if the man who said New
Jersey and Massachusetts were the principal sea
ports of America, and the one who said Abraham
Lincoln and George Washington were the las
two Presidents. should be given responsible.
offices. Civil service placed all applicants-th'
son of the farmer. the son of the mechanic ant
the son Of the Congressman--on n level. TIL
spois system was aristocratic, autocratic, bureau
cratic and proscriptive. Mexico, Turkey AM
one-half Of Indiana alone were opposed to civil
service reform. He claimed for it the power o
doing away with brutal treatment by brutal al
tendants in the benevolent institutiops-atteDd
Nsnts who had been selected because they wer
.cca ward workers. 1t would prevent p.acinl
before the inmates bad meats and rancid butter
The bill would apply to about nine hundre
pffice holders in the State. He did not think tn
present Legislature would pass it, but that
would be passed in she near future by anothe
General Assembly he did not doubt.
While Representative Gordon could not foreg
accomplishment to the speech of his Republica
colleague, he thought the Democratic part
ought to have the credit for being fifteen year
endeavoring to accomplish civil-serviee reform
foaA Aan oaA- I~f9